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Original poster

burma...hang head in shame...

54 replies

suzycreamcheese · 26/09/2007 10:50

david milliband ... could not answer pertinent questions on situation. newsnight lastnight..will get back to us on a website later wtf

all the arm dealers sellers and nations who sold to regime who are poised to use them, who made money from this despotic situation

all the western powerful leaders who spout rhetoric on democracy ..but do nothing when it really matters cause it doesnt matter to them

even though it chokes me to say it it was george bush who did announce sanctions..

the world as we sit by and watch complicit in the agony and poverty of a peaceful nation persecuted and tortured and starved on daily basis ..

rant over
well for me at least, thank you

OP posts:
Original poster
suzycreamcheese · 26/09/2007 11:22

monks
teargas
anyone?

OP posts:
HuwEdwards · 26/09/2007 11:25

suzy, tragic isn't it? The protests are so peaceful and yet are met with downright violence and tyranny.

tiredemma · 26/09/2007 11:26

according to news- one monk has been shot dead.

2shoes · 26/09/2007 11:34
Shock
slim22 · 26/09/2007 11:35

Where is the media coverage?
It's not like the place is unknown to the british public. It was a goddam part of the empire. There main opposition leader under house arrest is married to a Brit.

Aung San Su Kyi. Female political leader. Peacefull oponent to the regime. British husband. Has not seen her 2 boys grow up (20 years in house arrest), has not been able to see her husband, terminally ill with cancer.

I'm in awe of these monks. I live in Asia, and I can tell you it is such a massive massive statement spiritually & politically. This is a part of the world where monks are really monks. they wander in search of inward enlightenment, they do not speak out, ever.
The statement they are making is of enormous magnitude.

tiredemma · 26/09/2007 11:36

apparently there is a curfew on the media which makes it difficult to follow the protest ( thats what it says on BBC website)

SueBaroo · 26/09/2007 11:36

I'm sort of waiting with baited breath to see what happens. Milliband was a bit pathetic. The world is a 'scawy place'. Wow. I get that kind of assessment of foreign affairs from my 4 year old.

slim22 · 26/09/2007 11:39

Even if there is a curfew and few images coming out of the country, there are political commentators who could draw the attention on the pb.

As usual, no images/no drama/no good TV.....

Here in singapore, 6 young students were jailed merely for doing a support/info blog

FrogPrincess · 26/09/2007 11:39

these monks and anyone else protesting in Burma is very very brave and yes we need to do more about this, now. The media certainly is not doing enough, I know they are not allowed in and it's a difficult situation, but to see pictures of a 'possible' Madeleine McCann sighting on the front page of the papers instead of massive front pages about Burma today, I find appalling.

doggiesayswoof · 26/09/2007 11:43

Milliband's a prick. The whole situation is a disgrace and has been for a long time... and people don't know about it at all...

Peaceful protest has a very good chance of success though in the long term, and I'm just hoping that something positive will come out of this at last. Makes me

doggiesayswoof · 26/09/2007 11:45

Aung San Suu Kyi is supposed to be one of Gordon Brown's political heros IIRC... well that's all right then

SueBaroo · 26/09/2007 11:49

Big Gordon might have the wherewithall to sound authoritative, but Milliband just looks like a sixth-former. None of the neccessary gravitas at all.

pagwatch · 26/09/2007 11:56

Agree - It is just so shameful that the rest of the world is just sitting on its hands.
I had to try and discuss with my DS what determines an international response - why do we intervene in Iraq and try to isolate Iran when Darfur seems to be passing everyone by and Burma has everyone shrugging their shoulders.
Very hard to do without using 'of strategic importance', 'maintaining Western influence'and 'oil'

( oh and and 'Bush is a knob')

Ilovebuttons · 26/09/2007 11:57

very sad, shocking and depressing. and like you all say the monks are beyond brave.

One of my best friends is half Burmese and was going to go and visit some relatives for her honeymoon in December - she's just cancelled it. A very silly mutual friend said she should go anyway because 'it's an amazing, historical time to be in the country. I would go and join in with the marches'

tiredemma · 26/09/2007 11:57

apprently GB has called an urgent UN council meeting this afternoon

Original poster
suzycreamcheese · 26/09/2007 13:57

good to see your posts guys...

its driving me nuts
and so so sad and wrong

slim22 doogiesays i so agree

and suebaroo...he is and so does look like 6th former ...as does alexander something douglas thats it..
..i said to dh last night just a bunch of teenagers 'in charge'..

it is such a big thing and we dont need to do much we left it in such a mess
oh god..sitting on our hands alright..

OP posts:
Meglet · 26/09/2007 14:11

suzy it is so sad to see this happening. I am with you on this one. Can't think how we can make much of a difference, not sure if e-mailing our MP's would help - but I suppose it won't do any harm.

Piffle · 26/09/2007 14:15

all the world waiting to see what happens
we know what's going to bloody happen and there will be blood on world leaders hands for their compliance.
detestable lack of weight being pushed...

policywonk · 26/09/2007 14:20

What to do though? UK/US troops overstretched in Iraq/Afghanistan as it is. UN - China is on Security Council, would NEVER allow UN troops to go into Burma. What is the way forward?

Meglet · 26/09/2007 14:33

FWIW this is where you can contact your mp.

www.writetothem.com

i've already pestered my mp today, she'll be bloody sick of me at this rate.

WaynettaVonSlob · 26/09/2007 14:38
Sad
ElenyaTuesday · 26/09/2007 14:55

Unfortunately my MP has been arrested for allegedly assaulting his wife so I don't think he will be much use.

I do think the lack of international response in Burma (and in Darfur) is a disgrace. The politicians should be hanging their heads in shame if they are not pushing China to put pressure on the Burmese military regime. Those monks are amazing.

And why do we have an idiot schoolboy as Foreign Secretary?

SueBaroo · 26/09/2007 16:39

I call him the Bumfluff Kid. He just looks wrong without a prefect's badge.

ElenyaTuesday, how horrible about your MP.

It's always worth pestering MPs, imho, they need to feel the boot of the electorate up their backsides.

MargotMaynard · 26/09/2007 16:40

Elenya wrote:
"The politicians should be hanging their heads in shame if they are not pushing China to put pressure on the Burmese military regime."

I was struck by this too. The BBC World news led on Burma last night and this morning, and a US commentator was saying that we should put pressure on China to put pressure on the Burmese regime. But that's really working in Sudan, isn't it ... China is no diffent than the West in that respect - if it isn't about natural resources, forget it.

SenoraPostrophe · 26/09/2007 16:46

I don't think it's fair to say the western leaders are "doing nothing".

Sanctions are a very blunt tool that usually hurt the poor more than the people they are aimed at - they are not the panacea some people seem to think they are.

Since the Chinese govt actively supports the burmese regime, putting pressure on them would strike me as being a good way to go. it may not look like anything is being done, but it may help. sanctions almost definitely won't help.